SINGAPORE--(Marketwired - April 22, 2015) - King & Spalding has recruited Simon Cowled, a leading power projects lawyer, as a partner in its Singapore office. Cowled will join King & Spalding from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom's Singapore office, where he served as a member of that firm's Asia Pacific energy and infrastructure group.
"Simon's dedication to the regional power practice is impressive, and his increasing success and reputation are self-evident," said Ken Culotta, head of King & Spalding's Global Transactions practice group. "With the addition of Simon, our Singapore office will offer a deep bench in power development, finance and M&A reflective of our goal to develop a Singapore energy team with deal experience that spans the region and offers clients focused expertise in high-stakes, high-value practice areas like power, oil and gas and LNG. We welcome Simon to our firm."
Cowled's deal list includes the acquisition, upfront development, construction and financing of major energy and infrastructure projects in Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam, where he primarily represents project sponsors and equity investors. He has worked on the multiple award-winning, $1.5 billion Paiton III power project in Indonesia and China Huaneng Group's $1.1 billion acquisition of 50 percent of a global power generation company (the largest cross-border M&A deal to date between India and China). Recognized by IFLR as a "Rising Star Lawyer" in its Energy and Infrastructure Guide for 2014, Cowled has worked in the Asia Pacific region for over 15 years.
"We view Simon as one of the leading, up-and-coming practitioners in the Asian power sector today. He has already built a strong reputation in the market," said Kelly Malone, Singapore-based head of King & Spalding's global power team. "Clients we have in common praise his deep understanding of regional power markets in Asia Pacific, ability to resolve complex issues and work ethic."
"I am delighted to join King & Spalding and become a member of its market-leading energy team," Cowled said. "The firm's strategic focus on and commitment to the growth of its energy practice made this move the right choice for me."
Cowled will become the 10th partner in King & Spalding's Singapore office, following the firm's recent recruitment to the same office of Richard Nelson, the former head of the Southeast Asia energy practice at Herbert Smith Freehills. With the arrival of Nelson and Cowled, three partners will focus on the power sector, three on oil and gas and LNG, and four on international arbitration. In the 2015 edition of its annual guide to the leading legal practices in Asia Pacific, Chambers ranks King & Spalding "Band 1" in Singapore for both Energy and Natural Resources as well as International Arbitration.
About King & Spalding
Celebrating more than 125 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 800 lawyers in 17 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.